K-State QB Jesse Ertz out for ‘quite some time’

Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Jesse Ertz suffered a knee injury just two snaps the team’s 34-0 win over South Dakota in the season opener, and it’s looking like he will be out for an extended period of time.

“Jesse is going to be out for quite some time,” Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder on the Big 12 coaches conference call Monday. Snyder did not say just how long his quarterback may be out, and suggested the Wildcats have little choice but to move on. The veteran head coach did suggest Ertz will remain an active team member while unable to play.

“We will miss him. We feel badly about the loss and he will be there. He has been a wonderful individual for us, very representative of our value system, of our team and really developing as a leader. I am quite confident he will stay invested in what we are doing and will be very helpful to all of his teammates. We will move on.”

A former three-star recruit out of Iowa’s Mediapolis High School, Ertz could end up being a big loss for Kansas State down the stretch.

Backup Joe Hubener held his own coming in relief and should be the starting man under center for this Saturday’s game against Texas-San Antonio, but Ertz was initially picked as the starter for a reason, clearly.

With the Big 12 getting more and more competitive with each passing year, Coach Snyder had better hope that Hubener continues to perform well in the face of tougher competition.